Lessons from the Chair: A Decade of Climate Risk & Opportunity

Climate change is clearly firmly on the Board Agenda, creating very real demands on the Chair and the Board. Fidelio’s focus is building better Boards and we are committed to supporting Chairs and Boards in their response to climate change. We were therefore delighted to collaborate with Chapter Zero on a recent webinar exploring 'Lessons from the Chair: A Decade of Climate Risk & Opportunity'. To guide through key challenges and offer practical advice to Chairs as they navigate the risks and opportunities associated with climate change, we welcomed Richard Gillingwater on his final day as Chair of SSE plc, the FTSE 100 energy company which has played a leadership role in the transition to ‘net zero’ economy. We were also joined by Rachel McEwen, SSE's Chief Sustainability Officer, and Julie Baddeley, Chair of Chapter Zero. Richard addressed three questions:

1. During Richard's tenure as Chair, what was SSE’s climate journey?

2. What were the challenges that Richard and SSE faced on this climate journey?

3. What are Richard's key recommendations for any Chair who is keen to prepare the company for climate change?

In the webinar Richard highlighted both challenges and priorities for Chairs including: proactive shareholder and stakeholder engagement; maintaining optionality in the face of the technical uncertainty; and developing a purpose and culture that encourages an actionable plan for net zero.

52% of our audience saw the Chair and the Board playing a pivotal role in creating a path to net zero. To view the webinar with Richard Gillingwater, please click on the recording and charts.